Retaining device for elevating-cables



B. F. FITCH. RETMNING DEVICE FOR ELEVATING CABLES. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30.1920.

Pater lted Dec. 6,1921.

able means such as ares see I nuns-Amine. nr'ron, or nvnivs'ron, rnnrnors.

, iBEjTAINIhTG. Device roa nnnvsrins-cannns.

resents,

Specification of Letterslatent. Pat g ltgqlj Dea g 1921;

Application filed .Tune 30', 1920. Serial No. 392,966.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. FrrcH,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Cook and State.

This invention relates'to a device adapted for securely attaching elevating cables to crates or boxes to be lifted thereby.

The methods heretolore'practised for rais ing large crates and such heavy articles by a plurality of hoisting elements, involve manually insertmg an engaglng hook nto a corresponding retainer and then repeat ing the operation on each hoisting element. Under such conditions, it has been found that one of the engaging means frequently becomes disengagec while the operator is attempting to secure or lock another in position.

The general object of this invention is to provide means for securely holding the hooks or other engaging means in position and at the same time eliminate thes difficulties.

Another object is to so arrange the securing means, between adjacent engaging and lifting elements, that an operator may insert all of the engaging means into position,

without the necessity of returning to replace or readjust any of the hoisting "elements. The above and other objects will become more apparent in the following description which refers to the accompanying drawings. The essential characteristics are set forth in the claims. I I v in the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective of a removable truck body or crate depending from hoisting elements and illustratlng the use of my invention; Fig. 2 is an en larged view of the nature of an elevation of a spring tension device; Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Designating the parts by the use of reference characters, 10 1) represents a crate, or a removable automobile body having engaging hooks 11, rigidly secured to the sides thereof. The body is adapted to be suspended from supporting cables 12, which are passed through the sheaves 13, and connected to the hooks 11, by any suit- U-shaped engaging mem- To use my bers or clevises 14. The sheaves 13 have a tendencyto swing about the upper support of the hoisting cables when the U-shaped members are disengaged-from a load;

:Secured at the center to the sheave and rotatably mounted at the center thereof, is a bifurcated member 20. As shown in Fig. 1, I have provided one of these members attached to the pivot pin of each sheave and have connected them by rods or cables 21.

The bifurcated members are preferably formed to straddle a sheave and the supporting U-shaped member 14, which depends therefrom. Anextension 22 on the bifurcated member 20,,comprises a hollow cylinder open at one end and slotted as at 23, to receive a pin slidably mounted therein. Mounted within the hollow cylinder 1s a; compression spring 24:, one end of which abuts the cylinder head 22, while the other engages movable head or piston 25. The piston is limited in its movement by the pin 26 which is adapted to slide in the groove 23. Rigidl'y secured tothe piston '25 and extending through an aperture in the cylinder head is a plunger 27, comprising .a'short rod. At the outer end28 there maybe rigidly secured cables or rods 21.

retaining device the operator proceeds as follows :-Assuming that the crate 10 is resting on a platform, the hoist ing cables are lowered to bring the il-shaped engaging members into position to catch the hooks 11. The operator then effects this engagement and moves to the'other sheave on'the same side of the crate, sliding his hand along the'cable to tension it, holding the sheave in engagement. The cable 21 is not long enough to permit the second U- shaped member to engage the corresponding 2.111. a device of the class described, the

combination with a pair of overhead hoist-' mg elements, of means comprising a tension devlce adapted to hold said llOlStlIlg elements in engagement with corresponding hooks. i 1

3. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a plurality of hoisting sheaves, of bifurcated members mounted on the axes of said sheaves, and a variable ten- S1011 device connecting said members.

4. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a pair of hoisting sheaves, of bifurcated members rotatably mounted on the axes ofsaid sheaves, and a variable tension device connecting said members.-

5. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a plurality of hoisting sheaves, of members rotatably mountedon the axis of each sheave, and a cable connecting the said member 6. In a cable retaining device, the combination with a pair of-hoisting blocks, of a member secured to each block, said members carrymgshdable elements, means connectmg the sald elements, and springs tending to urge saidelements in a direction-to ten-" sion said connecting means.

7. In a cable retaining device, the combi-. pair or movable l101Sl3 1Ilg' nation with a v blocks, of bifurcated members mounted on the axis of each movable block, said members having a hollow extension, a plunger slidably mounted in said extension, a helical combination with the-longitudinal movement of spring embracing said plunger, and means plungers whereby the springs constantly a other; a a

9.,In a vdevice of the combination with a plurality of hoisting elements, of members rotatably mounted on the axes of the hoisting elements, and having 1 hollow extensions, plungers slidably urge the hoisting elements toward each mounted in said extensions, stops to limit said plungers,

flexible means connecting the plungers, and springs adapted to constantly urge the hoisting-elements toward each other.

10. In aidevice of theclass described, the

combination with a plurality of hoisting vblocks,i.a 'fiexible member connected with said blocks, and springs interposed in said connections and acting to urge the blocks into hook engagingposition.

a In testimony whereof, I hereunto alfix my signature.

BENJAMIN F. FITCH.

class describech thei 

